


Happiest Place On Earth

by pocketfullofbees



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Little Mix (Band), One Direction (Band)
Genre: Disney World & Disneyland, F/M, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Mild Language, Oblivious Zayn, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, disney world au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-03-31 04:56:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3965197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pocketfullofbees/pseuds/pocketfullofbees
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's always weird. Each time he sees the actual character he's surprised people recognize him. Then again, he never saw himself as any type of royalty.</p><div class="center">
  <p>_______</p>
</div><br/>Or the AU where OT5 work as face characters at DisneyLand and Zayn's hopelessly in love with an Irish Faerie.<br/>
            </blockquote>





	Happiest Place On Earth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cupofwanderlust](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cupofwanderlust/gifts).



> cupofwanderlust! I hope you enjoy this! A lot of your prompts were very inclusive and I wanted to mirror that in the way the characters function together as a whole and then how they function separately with Zayn. In a few prompts you'd asked for Little Mix to be thrown in and as a fan of them I was happy to do that. 
> 
> "Okay but you know what would be really fun? Disney cosplayers AU!! I don't really care who their characters are, but imagine Disneyworld?? Imagine the cuteness??" - Honestly, when I read this prompt I was like YUP I'M DOING THIS! 
> 
> So I hope you enjoy it! I had a lot of fun writing this and honestly, I love it so much, I feel like I want to write more! Thank you so much for your amazing prompts they were really helpful in how I was going to write this! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

"Zayn you're on in five.”

“Right.”

The sun hits the plastic pavement with a heat he can feel through his shoes. He hurries into the shade under the tent they set up for the afternoon meet and greet. Breeze and cool it is. Better than standing in the boil of the desert sun. Thank Allah, they've put fans in the corners or he’d be sweating the rest of his skin off. Zayn wouldn’t work without them.

However, the collar of his damn dress shirt is the itchiest thing. It's an odd mesh material that sparkles a tacky gold. But it's light, letting the wind breeze through and compared to some of the other costumes, his is rather comfortable in the smoldering summers.

Still _bloody_ itchy.

Regardless of the weather, Anaheim is relentless this time of year.

Doesn’t help Zayn’s kind of annoyed Leigh-Anne isn’t here too. She would give him a reason to whine about the weather and the rowdy tourists without feeling out of place. She gets Thursday mornings off– _lucky._

Funny enough, he doesn’t envy her. Leigh-Anne’s huge dress is heavy and hot despite the breeze – not that he’s tried it on or anything.

Louis might or might not have pictures on his phone, thinking of it now. Blame it on a few pints after a long shift and the fact that Niall said he would look pretty. Which he did. So there’s something to put on a resume.

His attendant goes to open his signing gate, taking a second to swat at his hands as he continues to fumble with his itchy _God-Damn_ collar. She has the _gall_ to smile.

”You’re getting glitter on your sleeves!”

“I’m already covered in it!”

Joking? At a time like _this?_ Zayn lets out a long sigh, not as relaxing as he hopes it would be.

Mandy – her name tag reminds him – has been working with him for the past week or so. She's nice, amazing with the rowdy kids which overwhelm him a little. Plus she isn't too much of a talker on the down time. Having to act a part all day is exhausting, so it's nice to have someone who doesn't pester him with more questions when the kids are gone.

“Go time!” She mouths from the front of gate. Her quick thumbs up does nothing to stop his anxiety.

Zayn can hear the clamor of kids around the fence. He rubs his hands together, a little nervous but relieved that the lavender lotion Louis gave him hides the smell of his morning cigarette. Princes don't smoke, but Zayn's not a real prince.

"Prince Frog!" is the only warning he's got, all four seconds to lose himself and turn with a charming smile.

"Oh Princess!" He gasps. The girl squeals, absolutely delighted.

She couldn't be much older than four or five, and way too cute for words. Her dark curls are clipped up with frog pins and her shirt has his face on it. Well his character, Prince Naveen from the Princess and the Frog. It's always weird. Each time he sees the actual character he's surprised people recognize him. Then again, he never saw himself as any type of royalty.  

"Well _Buongiorno_ ," Zayn greets with the worst Italian accent in the world. No one said he had to be perfect. "And what is your name Princess?"

Her adorable smile makes up for his nervousness. She starts dancing in place as a woman, who Zayn assumes is the girl’s mother, follows behind her. The woman looks sheepish but nods when he crouches to pick the girl up. He does with ease – it's his job anyway. Plus he's had enough practice with his sisters and baby cousins back in Bradford.

"Tyonya!" She giggles into his gold mesh collar.

"We'll Miss Tyonya, where are you from?"

"Can-ada!" She all but yells. Her mother laughs.

Zayn wishes he could feel this excited again. She's practically vibrating in his arms and laughing with each breath. Warmth and delight flows through him every time he meets these fans. The ones that are almost too excited to keep it bundled up.

"Canada? That's a long ways from California!" Trying his best to exaggerate his "R"s because he didn't take Italian in high school. French is close enough– right? Five year olds can't tell the difference. "What may I do for you Tyonya, Princess of Canada?"

"A picture and your signature in her book please, Prince Naveen." Her mother supplies, stepping back and holding up her camera.

"Ah! A photo for the Queen."

The mother blushes and he smiles wide because he loves his job. Spinning Tyonya in his arms to hear her squeal again, he adjusts her to his hip to take the picture. He then, ribbits like a frog to get her to laugh, a trick to get some kid’s attention. It's always worked in his favor.

“Say thank you Tyonya! And give him your book.”

“Thank you Prince Frog!” She says, clutching a book to her chest.

It’s a small sketch book that has Mickey Mouse on the front, and seems a little beaten. He crouches to put her down and kneels to use his knee to prop the book up. Swiftly, he pulls a fancy feathered pen from his pocket with gusto.

“Oh!” The little girl gasps. Zayn tickles her nose with it, and his smile aches in the best way.

"Which page shall I sign, Princess?" He says softer, giving her time to fumble with the book pages.

“You can’t write this one!” She announces. Zayn sees Louis' long curvy signature with a tiny dagger on the side of a green page.

“Peter Pan? Did you see him?”

“Yes!” The girl giggles, toppling the book a bit. Her small hands push the book into Zayn’s hand to keep it steady as she continues to flip through the pages. Harry's hard, sharp signature but then again, writing with the suit on is always a struggle. Zayn does not envy him.

“Oh and you saw Mickey?”

“Yup!” She nods, this time flipping faster through the book. Impatient. Zayn snickers. Liam's script that loops and curls, barely legible. If he squints he can read, "Prince Charming" but it's a long shot.

"Here!" She points to a pastel blue page. He looks at the signature on the page beside it and it's Niall's. Cute and bubbly, so completely Niall that it hurts to hold back a smile, "I see you saw the fairies!"

"Yeah!" She claps. Zayn signs. Feeling a little artistic, he adds some swirls and hearts.

"How is NeverLand doing today?"

"Actually," the mother grins, laughing a little. "One of the fairies–"

"Oh! Oh! Terence!" Tyonya interrupts after examining his signature.

"Was that the one?" The mother shrugs, picking up Tyonya to leave. "Anyway, when we told him we were on our way to see you, he asked if we could say Hello for him!"

"Hello!" Tyonya shouts with a laugh.

He feels himself break character for a moment, almost asking if he was wearing the acorn on his head or not. If he made them laugh. What jokes he told, or if they liked his Irish accent which is 100 percent genuine and so painfully sweet. Zayn just nods to keep himself from being too obviously _in love_.

"Did he now? Well I hope he wasn't too much trouble!" He waves. "Wonderful seeing you Princess Tyonya!"

"Bye Prince Frog!"

 

**  
\---**

 

Zayn didn’t think he’d ever end up here.

On his list of careers after secondary school, under University was not Disney face character.  It was actually english teacher, believe it or not. Louis laughed at him when they were talking one night in their flat. Louis had wanted to go into acting. Could anything be more perfect for him? He plays the part of Peter Pan perfectly, half genuine. Louis is a little more mischievous than the actual Peter yet, so right for the part. Zayn can’t imagine him anywhere else.

It wasn’t until his Nana got sick two years ago that he truly pursued his passion to go into art. She had told him to do what he loved for the rest of his life, and for the rest of his life he wanted to draw. And sure, he loves watching the Disney movies but for the animation specifically. The beautiful colors of the wind, the shimmer of plastic on Woody and the stunning painted sunset of pride rock.

So off to California he went.

His mom wouldn’t let him go without a plan though, because she worries. His uni counselor actually suggested the Disney scholarship. It would gave him on-site housing and decent pay. Definitely would help him get the money he needed to apply for CalArts next fall.

That was before he decided to apply as a face character instead. Thinking back on it, Zayn would have hated being a customer service rep, or a cashier boy at an ice cream stand.

Jawaad, his cousin, had dared him. It was a chance at getting better pay, better housing and he wouldn't have to serve shit food all day. Dress up, say a few lines, take a few pictures, go home and work on his portfolio–sounded like a dream. The downside was if they didn’t accept him, the flight home would be on his own expense, and a chance he couldn’t re-apply.

That call home was a weird one. Doniya and Jawaad laughed a little too hard. His mother sent him a congratulation package filled with home recipes, his favourite snacks, and extra pairs of socks and pants.

“Can I tell my class that you’re a Prince?” said Safaa.

“Do we get free vacations now?” said Waliyha.

“You’re who?” asked his Dad. “Have I seen that movie?”

And he doesn’t mind the hours. Besides the weekly parade, he gets off around five o’clock each day. He also doesn’t work Sundays. They give him religious days off, which is nice. The flat he has is pretty nice too, but after two messy boys live in it for a full year, it gets gross pretty quick.

Doesn’t help that Louis’ feet consistently smell.

“I got you a churro,” Liam slides next to him. “I think she has a thing for me.”

“Danielle?” Zayn kisses his shoulder sleeve before taking the churro. Liam might be his favourite.

“Sophia,” Liam chews for a moment. “I think.”

“Brown hair?” Zayn supplies, enjoying the cool breakroom air. Why don’t they have air conditioning in his signing tent? “Like, big lips and cheekbones. Kinda looks like Angelina Jolie?”  

“Angelina Jolie? Where?” Louis scoots across the room to slide up to their bench. Still in full Peter Pan suit. Even though he gets new tattoos every other month, they don’t sleeve Louis like they do Zayn. If he could, Zayn would sell his pinky to wear a sleeveless costume. But Zayn’s a prince, and apparently Princes like to be sweaty as all hell and untattooed. Or just live in colder places.

“Sophia?” Liam says.

“Churro girl.” Zayn supplies. Louis shrugs. He rushes over the bench table to take a bite out of Liam’s churro. Liam disagrees with a bored, “Rude!” Zayn catches him smiling anyway.

“The girl who has you wrapped around her finger and gives you free churros in hopes you’ll finally eat her–”

“Hey Hey! Enough Louis, there are children!” Liam growls through his teeth.

“Yes there are Liam, good on you for being so observant!” Louis smiles cheeky and so sweet, Zayn laughs. Liam shields his churro from him but relents when Louis starts to pout. The only one Louis doesn’t pester too much is Zayn. Which is why they work, partners in crime to make Liam squeal. Prince Charming is supposed to be suave and sure. Louis pushes Liam to be a mess.

It’s one of Zayn’s favourite things. Second to their shared afternoon break before the parade. Zayn gets to take off his costume, sans shirt but still has to wear the trousers. A weird, almost velvet material which is a field day to get off, so he doesn’t bother with it until he can get the boys to help him take it off. Which at first was embarrassing, having to be peeled like an orange from his own costume. Niall’s laugh and Louis’ consistent jokes make up for it.

Niall and Harry bumble into the break room, ice cream shakes in hand. Like everyday. Niall usually switches up between a vanilla shake and a chocolate swirl one. Harry likes strawberry and this weird green one that the shop around their break room just started to serve for health week. It’s been a month since then and they still serve them. Zayn shivers at the thought of kale, carrots and broccoli in a ice cream shake. The hell is that?  

“Prince Ali! Fabulous he – Ali _A-AAbabwaa!_ ” Niall bellows while sliding across from Zayn on their bench.

“Thats Aladdin.” Zayn points with what’s left of his churro, which isn’t much.

“I know but you look like Aladdin right now– no shirt n’ that!”

“N’ That,” Harry mocks, pushing his way between Niall and Louis. Louis reaches around Harry to pull off Niall’s cap. Niall yells, and starts after it, practically falling off the bench. Liam shouts at Louis to give it back, and Harry slowly reaches a chilly hand, the one that had been holding his shake a second before, to grab Zayn’s to ask, “How was your shift, babe?”

“Good, Harry,” Zayn smiles. The other face character staff wander in and out, making way to avoid their table – mostly if they want to keep their limbs from being bruised or broken. An old ice cream parlor turned staff room with coats and cubbies, worn out wooden benches and tables, a wonky soda machine in the corner. Looking over at the built-in lockers in the corner, Zayn shrugs; Liam, Niall, him, Louis and Harry, right in a row. Their lockers covered in stickers, labels and pictures of their time here.

“Yeah,” squeezing Harry’s hand for a moment before letting it go. “Yourself?”

Louis sits in Harry’s lap trying to swat Niall with his own cap. Liam finally gets from his passive side of the table to snatch the cap from Louis.

Harry smiles, unphased, “Alright.”

\---

The parade is loud and long, like every day. However the float breeze is nice, and he gets to watch the fireworks which always amaze him no matter what. Leigh-Anne comes in just for the float. Her temp for Tiana fell off last year and refuses to get on it again. Zayn wasn’t there for that, had the week off for Edi when it happened and got the news with a text from Louis that said, “Princess and the Float” with a picture of a dead frog in a dress. Not the most empathetic one of the group but was a good laugh for a few months after.

“Had a girl I would have thought was your little sister earlier,” Zayn says. The dress staff fixing the rest of his hair and costume back up. He went into the bathroom to wash his hair before having it styled again. The gel they use is so tacky, and gross. Zayn hates it. “The sweetest thing from Canada.”

“Was she? Aww, thats absolutely darling!” Leigh-Anne coos. She scowls at the staff zipping up the back of her dress. Zayn tries to hold a laugh as she turns to give the poor girl some lip. Leigh-Anne glances at him and threatens to smack his shoulder. “Don’t be smart.”

The float begins to rumble as Paul, their float engineer, starts the engine. It throws Zayn off a little, and he scrambles up to their tier for safety. With grace and purpose Leigh-Anne follows, and Zayn has to remind himself that she isn’t a real princess. Can play the part to even convince him, and their audience – and hell, Zayn probably looks more like a street rat from Pakistan than a Prince, or a frog. Aladdin will always have a place in his heart.

The small float carrying the fairies, Tinkerbell (Perrie her name is) and Niall, speeds by. It’s much smaller than Zayn’s own, and Niall laughs hard while clutching the leaf’s rail. What a world they live in, he thinks.

“Faster Mark!” Niall shouts, waving at Zayn as they exit the garage.

“Oh, be more in love, would you?”

It’s Zayn’s turn to scowl and it probably looks more like a pout by the way Leigh-Anne’s eyes soften. She reaches across his shoulders to side-hug him and it feels better than the way his heart hurts when he sees Niall smile.

“It’s dumb.”

“‘S not,” She lightly kisses his cheek, wiping the lipstick that sticks there.

“Heading out!” Their float manager yells, and their float slowly makes its way around to the park walkway. Main Street passes in a blur. Faces of people so excited to see him, that Zayn forgets about how in love he is with the Irish freak who makes weird faces at him in the morning because Zayn is not a morning person. The idiot who carries kids on his back during the parade, jumping from his float to the crowd to see them laugh. A person who shines brighter than the sun.

Louis carved ‘Z + N’ on the back of Zayn’s bedroom door last summer and he knows it’s going to come out of their security deposit when they move out. _When they move out_. What an odd thought that is, so Zayn buries it deep in the smiles and waves, the positive zen he’s emitting to the Anaheim sunset and the crowd.  

Zayn can see Harry on the large float a few cars in front of them. He’s in a yellow shirt that says, “NeverLand” on the back making sure kids don’t run up to Louis’ float. Harry prefers to be Mickey around the park, not during the parade.

“I like seeing the kids I hug all day. Is that weird?”

“Completely weird Hazza,” Louis always says but kisses his cheek anyway.

It’s cute how much Harry cares for Louis, and by the same token, Louis for Harry. They auditioned at the same time, roomed together way before Zayn was in the picture.

True love is out there, whisking around in the air like clouds. The sun glows a fire behind him, and their float clashes it with a bright green. Leigh-Anne wraps her hand around Zayn’s waist and the crowd cheers. The sun sets and he wonders if the group will go out to watch the fireworks after, supposed to be a warm night. Leigh-Anne bumps her shoulder with his.

"What a day to be a princess, innt?" She says over the roar.

Zayn smiles, feeling both unworthy and so damn delighted – proud, even.

Distantly, he remembers –  _I’m not a prince._

 

\---

 

The Anaheim park has a Downtown they meet at when the parade ends. A small bar that doesn’t get much foot traffic compared to all the bigger chain restaurants and bars. Zayn likes it, though. The crowd doesn’t bother them too much and no one recognizes them out of their costumes. Expect for Louis, the kids he passes sometimes remember Louis. But he’s sweet, winking with a finger over his lips, hushing and grinning as if he’s actually Peter.

Zayn believes it sometimes.

Louis downs a shot of whiskey Niall ordered for them, and yells, “For NeverLand!”

_Sometimes._

The alcohol is warming in the chill of the California night. Niall shuffles up to him, cuddly and cute. Clings to his hip and rests his head on Zayn’s shoulder. In any other instance, and every time this has happened, Zayn just lets it. The first time, he’d been awkward and stiff until Niall ordered another round of beers; Louis told him the next morning that he and Niall had  almost kissed. Almost.

“Did you get ‘me message?” Niall murmurs into Zayn’s neck.

“What message babe?”

“I sent a little girl over to you to say Hi, did she do it?” Niall steps in closer. A nervous rush colors his cheeks red, so Zayn ignores it for the safety of his heart, soul and well being. “She was wearing a green shirt, from Vancouver or summat–”

“Yeah, she did.” Zayn smiles.

Niall tilts in a little bit more, as if – _as if_ – but Zayn panics at the last minute, licking his lips and turning to take another drink of his beer. He ignores the way Niall watches his lips, and ignores the feeling of his stomach turning, his face flushing. True love isn’t like clouds, Zayn thinks. Love is like ghosts, fucking terrifying and hard to catch.

He should probably stop watching Ghost Adventures with Louis.

“I don’t know about you but I gotta get up tomorrow for my breakfast shift,” Liam claps a hand on Zayn's shoulder. Niall backs off slightly, leaving Zayn’s side cold. He takes back what he said about Liam. Demoted from favorite to rude. “You’ve got early morning too, Tommo!”

“Oh don’t be such a prat Payno! Live a little!”

“I _lived a little_ last night and woke up hung over. I will not repeat that tomorrow, come on!”  

“I told you to drink water before going to bed!” Harry pipes in over Louis’ shoulder, but they all start to pack up anyway.

Niall bumps shoulders with him on the walk home. They orbit around each other in conversation, not leaving eachothers side, brushing hands, exchanging glances and it’s maddening. Zayn wants to grab Niall and shake him and kiss him and push him away. It’s a lot to handle while being _slightly_ drunk and trying to find his way home. Louis is no help, nor does he aid with the keying their way into the flat.

Relieved and alone, Zayn falls into the shower. He rests his head on the cool tile, thinking about how close Niall was, how close Niall was to kissing him. The way he smells, the smile he has when Zayn’s talking, how loud the bar was but the only thing he could hear was Niall’s laugh.

“Zayn are you so drunk that you walked into the shower with your socks on?” Louis leans on against the bathroom sink brushing his teeth.

“Shut up, Lou, I’m in love.” Zayn yells but doesn’t mean too. His looks down at his feet, and steps defeated, listening to the swoosh of his cotton socks in the water.  Louis doesn’t judge besides spitting into the sink and shouting back, “Touch his dick already!”

 

\---

 

Sunday they all get together and eat breakfast at a small iHop down the street past the convention center. Zayn gets a stack of pancakes and Niall orders half the menu in one go, starting with mozzarella sticks. Honestly, Zayn’s amazed with how he eats it all. Funny enough, he shares only one stick with Zayn and begrudgingly lets Harry take one as well. Not after he complains about it for five minutes.

“Jesy wants us all to meet up at Häagen-Dazs to watch the Fireworks,” Harry announces to his phone. There’s some strawberry syrup on his lip and Louis uses his thumb to wipe it off.

“Sounds good,” Niall mumbles around his waffle. He winks at Zayn as he chews. It’s the most disgusting thing he’s ever seen and Zayn loves it.

“Liam you should ask- _uh_ \- that Churro girl out to fireworks!” Louis slaps Liam’s chest.

“Churro girl, churro girl!” Niall starts to chant and gets annoyed that Zayn doesn’t yell along. The wait staff probably hates them, so Zayn smiles softly at the waitress refilling their coffee.

“Sophia?” Liam flushes, playing dumb.  Liam’s a fool too, crushing on a girl who obviously wants him back. Zayn envies him a little and keeps his eye on his pancake stack to keep from staring at Niall.

Doesn’t help that Niall pushes his foot between Zayn’s legs to get his attention, “You comin’ Zaynie?”

“Yeah,” he grabs Niall’s ankle and pulls for good measure. Harry asks the waitress if they carry any green tea, and Louis eats the rest of Liam’s hash. Niall flails helplessly and smacks Louis in the face.

“ _For God’s sake Niall!_ ”

 

\---

 

Zayn’s first day in California was hard. Louis was very high strung, bouncy, loud and young. Not much has changed, but back then Zayn and him weren't friends. He felt like too much compared to how Zayn was used to living. One small house in Bradford, with his small group of friends, his large welcoming family. The world tilted and spun around their family, their culture.

He’s thousands of miles away from that in a small flat in the hottest weather he’s ever experienced, rooming with a boy he’s only just met who was loud, mischievous and wouldn't leave Zayn alone.

“I’m Peter Pan!” Louis announced while helping Zayn carry his second bag into his empty room. A bed frame, a mattress, a cupboard sized closet and a small bureau is all they gave him.

“I thought you said your name was Louis?” Zayn asked stubbornly.

“I play as Peter Pan. Isn’t that why you’re here?”

Zayn didn’t know why he was here besides for money and a dream life at CalArts. Everything felt extra, just some non-playable middle life he’d ignore till the finish line. He didn’t care for Louis or any of his friends that he invited over later to meet Zayn.

Sitting on the gross mesh of the plastic wrapped mattress Zayn lied, “Yeah, I guess so.”

Training was hard and rigorous. Louis helped perfect his accent, to hide Bradford, to hide his home. The costumes were itchy and terrible, and Zayn wanted to go home everyday. His first paycheck made him stay.

It took him three weeks to touch his sketchbook again.

Liam weaseled his way into Zayn’s heart, being quiet and thoughtful. Would ask about his home life, share comic books and show him all of the small bookstores that carried Zayn’s favourites. One night on his sister’s birthday, Liam helped Zayn set up skype on his cheap computer and left them alone for an hour. Zayn has never been so grateful.

Harry was always just there. This soft presence that would ghost through the rooms of Zayn and Louis’ flat. It wasn’t until his actual shift started at the park that Harry sat next to Zayn in the break room and they talked about nothing. Harry’s mom, how much he missed her. How he sends a postcard every month just to say hello, tell them that he loves them, that he misses them. Gemma is tattooed on Harry’s shoulder in Hebrew and Zayn never felt closer to someone. Harry was charming and soft around the edges but so strong and sure.

Plus hanging with Harry meant free drinks at every bar they went to because Harry knows everyone. His posh accent sent everyone they met into a tizzy that Zayn would watch in fascination.  Cheeky and naive, but in a way where Zayn knows Harry knows more than he lets on. Zayn remembers knocking at Harry’s door one night, a right mess and crying into Harry’s striped bed spread, only to be made tea and cuddled till morning.

Louis and Harry dance around each other, Zayn thinks they always will. Two parts of the same whole that if they get too close they might just become one person. They’re too young for that Zayn reckons, and they know that too. They have to. Zayn thinks they’ll make it. Wherever they go the other will follow.

With Liam by Zayn’s side, the bestest brother Zayn could ever ask for, he could go anywhere and Liam would follow.

But Niall?

 _God_ – Niall’s something else entirely.  

“Louis this your mate?” Niall asked their first night out, wrapping an arm around Louis’ shoulders at the bar.

“Yeah, this is Zayn – from _Bradford_.” Niall stuck out his hand even before Louis started. Zayn shook his hand, looking him in the eyes and drowning.

“Niall, from Ireland. Nice to meet you.”

The first hour in the park Niall had just gotten off his shift, sitting in the break room with a guitar and a vanilla milkshake singing his favourite songs. Everyday Zayn would shuffle in tired and sunburnt only to be accompanied by Drake, or Taylor Swift–whatever Niall wanted to play that day. Loud, bright and beautiful, Zayn never wanted him to stop. In the storm of homesickness and exhaustion, Niall was calming, attentive, that when Zayn finally found his pack of friends, Niall just tagged along, reaching out and encouraging Zayn to be his best.

Still does, and Zayn doesn’t know when he fell in love with him but just that he did all at once.

 

\---

 

Jesy and Perrie rush from the gates carrying two cases of beer, and struggling. Liam and Zayn get up to help as Leigh-Anne whoops loudly, shaking a bottle of Tequila over her head.

“Memorial Holiday monday, so we party on sunday!” She yells, sitting in Jade’s lap on one of the lawn chairs she brought. Niall has his own green one and saved the other next to him for Zayn. He accepts the Corona Zayn snags him, but complains a bit about the taste.

“It’s like beer’s piss, it is!”

“Just because you’re used to Guinness mud sludge–”

“Hey Tommo that’s Ireland you’re talking about, watch yer’ mouth!”  

(Harry whispers, “Watch yer’ mouth” in a mocking Irish accent and Niall threatens to tip his chair down the hill.)

Zayn watches the fireworks and thinks about two years ago when he first arrived to California. All he came for was CalArts, and this dream of being big, being something other than some kid from Bradford. Now he’s a prince, or hopes he’s something like that.

Niall scoots his lawn chair closer. Zayn takes a sip of his beer, grinning at the struggle Niall’s having to keep his own drink from spilling. Finally he leans into Zayn’s ear, “Do you believe in true love?”

Not exactly what he thought Niall was going to say, so he takes another sip before shrugging. “It’s out there, I think.”

“Do you think Haz and Lou have true love?”

Louis kisses Harry’s head, brushing the strands of hair from his face. Zayn nods, glancing to Liam who finally has his arm around Sophia on a blanket closer to the front of the hill. Leigh-Ann and Jade share a peck before gasping as the fireworks pop and shout in the sky above them.

Niall slips his hand into Zayn’s, and twines their fingers, squeezing.

“Do you?” Zayn whispers in Niall’s ear over the rockets and the booms.

“Do I what?”

“Y’know, believe in true love?”

Niall takes a long look at the sky as colors flood its clouds, filling the air with a mist of smoke from the burning. The boom dies down before the finale starts. The noise is as loud as ever on the hill outside the park. It’s still on the grounds and they meet here as much as they can to watch the sky explode. The first time, he’d seen it was with Niall. It was so loud Zayn thought his ears would crack. Niall had laughed and joked, saying that if Zayn flinched any harder he’d fall off the hill. They rolled down it later on their way home. Zayn’s hips were bruised for a week, and Louis wouldn’t let it go how giddy and pink Zayn looked coming home.

Falling all at once with some kid from the isles.

“Yeah, I mean–” Niall inches closer and Zayn doesn’t look away. “I work at Disney don’t I?” Zayn just nods to keep himself from being too obviously in love, and lets Niall kiss him. It’s so overwhelming that Zayn gasps, inching closer till no matter how loud the fireworks are, they’re dulled out by all that is Niall.

Louis lets out a holler, starts throwing bottle caps at them. Liam laughs. Harry coos sweetly before saying, “Lou, why can’t we be that cute?”

Jade and Leigh-Anne yell, “Took you long enough!”

And Zayn finally feels like royalty.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Comments and feedback are soooo welcomed! :))


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